Lu Linjiang had inadvertently dug a hole for himself. Knowing that the more he explained, the more mistakes he would make, he quickly changed the subject. "Do you want some milk tea?"
Jiang Cheng looked at him helplessly and slowly squeezed out a single word: "Sure..."
Lu Linjiang breathed a sigh of relief and handed him the packaged milk tea. His hand paused for a moment as he recalled his original intention for buying it. Jiang Cheng looked at him suspiciously. "What is it?"
Lu Linjiang shoved the milk tea into his hands and helpfully poked the straw in for him. "Nothing. I just suddenly remembered that after I bought the tea, the clerk took the receipt back."
"...What's so strange about that?" Jiang Cheng asked. "When we were kids and went out for wontons, didn't they always take the handwritten ticket away once the bowl was served?"
"I thought this shop might not necessarily collect them." Lu Linjiang had absolutely no interest in these sugary drinks; he only bought them when treating others, so he only had a vague idea of the transaction process.
"At least every place I've been to does."
"Then that is a bit strange."
Jiang Cheng didn't understand what was so strange about it, so he simply watched him in silence.
Perhaps because he instinctively felt there was something wrong with the receipt, Lu Linjiang specifically chose the same shop where Jiang Langmin had made his purchase. Seeing that it was still early, he took Jiang Cheng back to the store. The clerks looked at each other. "Of course we collect them. The foot traffic here is heavy; to prevent people from taking the wrong order or double-claiming, all collected receipts are thrown into the bin." One of them pointed toward a corner.
"So, there’s never a case where someone takes their tea but the receipt isn't collected?"
The clerks glanced at each other and shook their heads.
Jiang Cheng watched Lu Linjiang’s pensive expression. "Does this have something to do with the case?"
"A little." Lu Linjiang couldn't say exactly how much. Using a single receipt to question Jiang Langmin would not only be making a mountain out of a molehill, but from Jiang Langmin's perspective—whether he was involved or not—there were dozens of ways to prove his innocence.
Moreover, it currently seemed more likely that Martina had died in an accident.
Before Lu Linjiang could make head or tail of the Martina situation, Jiang Cheng dropped another bombshell on him. "I’m going back to Sweden."
They had just stepped out of the cinema, and the surround sound of the theater still seemed to echo in Lu Linjiang's ears. He gave a vague grunt, seemingly not processing what Jiang Cheng had said.
Jiang Cheng sighed softly. "Hughes contacted me today. The main reason I was able to enter Hughes in the first place was because of Professor Tao; I was his doctoral student. But now that Professor Tao is gone, if I want to stay, I have to produce enough work to prove my capabilities."
"Over the next few days, I need to rush my paper on the Gaimoer vaccine. Later, I’ll have to contact the university about changing supervisors, and then there’s the thesis review..."
Lu Linjiang nodded expressionlessly. "I understand. Every one of those is important."
Jiang Cheng looked at him and said cautiously, "Everything you have here in Jinghai didn't come easily. I don't want you to do anything impulsive. Besides, neither of us are children anymore; we can't keep letting the older generation worry about us."
It was unclear if Lu Linjiang was even listening as he led the way to the parking lot. Jiang Cheng followed behind, his words failing him, unsure if his explanation would make the man change his mind.
It wasn't until he had dropped Jiang Cheng back at Micro-Grand University that Lu Linjiang finally spoke. "I understand what you mean. Don't worry, I won't be impulsive."
Jiang Cheng desperately wanted to set his mind at ease, but based on his understanding of Lu Linjiang, the man was the type who, once he set his mind on something, would tear down a brick wall rather than turn back. Given his own weight in Lu Linjiang's heart, Jiang Cheng feared those few words didn't carry much power. Hearing Lu Linjiang say he wouldn't be impulsive now was actually quite alarming.
"Lu Linjiang, I'm being serious."
"I know. I'll give it proper thought." Lu Linjiang’s expression was calm. He suddenly seemed to remember something and patted his pockets. "I said I’d return your keys, but I might have left them in the office. When are you leaving? I’ll make sure to get them to you before then."
Jiang Cheng knew he had no intention of continuing the conversation, so he followed his lead. "There's no need to make a special trip. Hughes hasn't given me much time; I'll be leaving in a few days. Since I haven't needed them for all these years anyway, just keep the keys for now. You can return them when there's an opportunity."
Lu Linjiang didn't object and watched as Jiang Cheng entered the university gates. A moment later, he pulled a set of keys from his pocket. Resting his chin on his hand, he watched the keys reflect a faint glint of light under the streetlamp.
***
Once again, late into a night of overtime, Wang Ling arrived at the bar lugging his laptop. He sat down and unceremoniously ordered a plate of fried rice and a beer before calling out to Lu Linjiang, "Bill me!"
Wang Ling polished off the food in a few bites. Before Lu Linjiang could speak, he said, "Save your breath. Little Orange already gave me a heads-up. I'm not helping you."
Lu Linjiang pursed his lips. "You..."
"I'm just advising you: don't go looking for trouble. It's better for you and everyone else."
"I'm just—"
"You're sick in the head, that's what's true!"
Lu Linjiang sighed helplessly. "Shut up and let me finish, or I'll tell your dad that you were the one who broke his Clivia plant, not the dog."
Wang Ling: "..."
"I want to sell my house. Prices are decent lately. If you have time, keep an eye out for me."
Wang Ling choked violently halfway through a sip of soup. Holding his spoon, he stared at Lu Linjiang in disbelief. "Sell your house? Does Little Orange know you're selling?"
"Why would I tell him I'm selling my house?"
Wang Ling sucked in a breath. "Then why suffer like this? You plan to sell the house and go to Sweden? What about work? How will you make a living there? Your grandfather might not be getting out much lately, but if he wants to beat you, would you even dare to run?"
Wang Ling fired off a string of questions, but Lu Linjiang said nothing, silently finishing off Wang Ling's beer. Cold sweat began to break out on Wang Ling’s skin; he had a gut feeling this bastard was about to do something disastrous.
"First, if I tell Jiang Cheng I'm selling the house, it would be no different from using it to blackmail him. It would put unnecessary pressure on him. I'm not that despicable, so you keep your mouth shut too. Second, as for work, I've done the math. With current property prices, it should be enough for me to rent a space over there and teach Taekwondo or something. If that fails, I'll teach Tai Chi. Third, my grandfather..." He patted Wang Ling on the shoulder. "You just help me look after him more often. I'll just have to be diligent about flying back and forth."
Wang Ling: "..."
"Wang Ling, have you ever made a mistake in your life?" Lu Linjiang looked at him. "Not every mistake has a chance to be rectified. Now that I have a chance, I can't let it go easily."
Wang Ling was speechless. He scratched his head and asked in resignation, "Then when do you plan to go? What about the things here?"
"I'm not leaving yet. Jiang Cheng hasn't graduated, and it's still up in the air whether Hughes will keep him. I tested the waters today, and it seems he doesn't have a concrete plan yet." Lu Linjiang looked at Wang Ling and flashed a calculating smile. "So, where he plans to go next will depend on you, Big Brother Wang Ling, to act as my informant."
Wang Ling was in agony. He never expected he’d have to play *Infernal Affairs* in this lifetime. Before he could snap back, Lu Linjiang added, "But don't delay the matter of selling the house."
"...Why? No..." Wang Ling asked in confusion, "If you sell it, where do you plan to live? At your grandfather's?"
Lu Linjiang beamed. Wang Ling trembled at the sight of that smile. "I naturally have a place."
***
**Glossary**
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 垓莫尔 | Gaimoer | A specific vaccine or virus mentioned in Jiang Cheng's research. |
| 修斯 | Hughes | A research institution or organization in Sweden. |
| 微观大 | Micro-Grand University | The university where Jiang Cheng is currently based (likely a shortened name). |
| 小橙子 | Little Orange | Wang Ling's nickname for Jiang Cheng (a play on the 'Cheng' in his name). |
| 静海 | Jinghai | The city where the story is currently set. |
| 君子兰 | Clivia | A type of flowering plant (Kaffir lily). |
